11 Little-Known Prom Facts That Would Leave You Surprised!

Prom is generally held at the end of high school.

The prom season has been extremely exciting for every high schooler since the 1900s. It is an event that celebrates the transition of young girls and boys from adolescence into their early years of adulthood.

Prom has great significance, especially in western countries, for what it symbolizes. It is an event that teaches young boys and girls proper manners and polite behavior.

Students look forward to this day from the initial days of high school. They shop for the best evening gowns or suits, shoes, and accessories to impress and woo each other. Keep reading to learn some lesser-known interesting facts about prom!

Origin And Early Years Of Prom

Prom has indeed come a long way, starting from primary tea parties accompanied with songs and dances to be a grand event. Let us discover the history of prom and some of its traditions.

The 1900s saw the birth of proms that were tea parties attended by men and women.

Over the years, proms transformed into college events where students gathered, danced, and socialized with one another inside decorated halls and or gymnasiums.

Later in the '50s, prom night came to be a formal event organized by high school students who wore their best dresses and shoes to impress and win the beauty contests or the prom king and queen titles.

The word 'prom' comes from the shortened form of 'promenade' that involved debutantes walking down the aisle at ballrooms.

Earlier, proms were organized in order to instill good manners and polite behavior in the college students.

The end of World War II witnessed an economic boom in the USA that called for extravagant prom nights. Most teens, especially girls who were extremely passionate about their prom night, planned their prom attire in advance. These girls were called 'promzilla.'

The '60s-'70s saw a steep decline in proms due to the ongoing Vietnam War and several civil rights movements. The students were found fighting for peace and justice rather than attending expensive proms.

However, some of the movies like 'Back to the Future,' 'Sixteen Candles,' and 'Pretty In Pink' released in the '80s played a major role in bringing prom back to business.

Proms Today

Proms have evolved to a great extent over the years. Nowadays, proms aren't just a simple gathering over tea, songs, and dance but an event that young girls and boys plan for years in advance. Down below are some of the amusing facts about today's prom culture.

Proms were not so extravagant as in the current times. Proms of the early 1900s were minor tea parties accompanied by songs and dance. However, over the years, this one-of-a-kind night became a platform to showcase your best prom dress, shoes, and accessories along with limousine rides and expensive venues.

Until the '30s, the concept of Prom king and queen did not exist. However, winning the titles 'prom king' and 'prom queen' has become one of the major attractions of prom.

Prom kings and queens are elected based on their level of popularity and participation in high school activities.

The tradition of offering corsages before a formal dance has been adopted. It is a gesture of offering courtship that women wear on their wrists. However, initially, corsages were meant to be worn on the waists!

In Popular Culture: The US, UK And Elsewhere

Let us learn about the traditions and expenses that go into organizing and attending proms that have taken western households off the ground!

As proms became an extravagant event for high schoolers, its budget eventually skyrocketed. Nowadays, an average prom night costs nearly $1,139!

Girls and boys plan their prom two years in advance! Girls usually try out 10 dresses before they land their favorite one!

On average, a prom dress costs approximately $300-$500!

Parents are equally excited about their kids attending prom. Consequently, they have a budget drawn for the same that usually starts from $1000.

Other Facts

Here are some lesser-known facts about popular proms that will pique your interest in the subject.

One of the most famous college newspapers, Harvard Crimson, first referred to prom in an 1879 issue and another in 1884. Here, the journal was about the desire of an Amherst College student who wanted to attend prom at a nearby school called Smith.

Post World War II, many schools had to cancel prom because the teens went too far with their prom festivities. The Chicago Tribune explicitly referred to proms as 'psychologically wounding' for high schoolers.

During Gerald Ford's presidency, his daughter, Susan Ford, had booked the White House for her senior prom. This was the only time when prom was held at the White House.

Actress-cum-singer Miley Cyrus could not attend prom as the shooting dates of her movie, Hannah Montana, collided with it.

In 1963, the Beverly Hilton hotel's largest room was booked by John Burroughs High school students for prom. Coincidentally, the same room was booked by President Kennedy for an expensive dinner party as well. Ultimately, the larger room was provided to the students while the president had to settle for a smaller room.

FAQs

When was prom discovered?

Prom was discovered in the early 1900s.

What is prom known for?

Prom is known for teaching good manners and polite behavior to young people studying in high schools and colleges.

Why is prom called prom?

The word 'prom' is the shortened form of the word 'promenade' that involved debutantes or young women walking down the aisle at their first ball.

Who had the first prom?

The boys of Amherst College had organized the first-ever prom in 1894. The female students of a nearby college called Smith were invited to dine and dance with them.

Is prom only in America?

Prom originated in America in the early 1900s and then spread to various other countries worldwide.

Why is prom so important?

Prom not only lets high school students dance, socialize, and have a gala time but also teaches them proper conduct and polite manners.

What does it mean to be a prom queen?

A prom queen is a girl the other high school students vote for before the prom.